Beginning as a pop-up store in Venice, CA, in 2010, The Detox Market, a retail store devoted to green beauty products, has since opened permanent locations in West Hollywood, CA; downtown Toronto and its Yorkville neighborhood; Santa Monica, CA; and a small retail space within Café Gratitude, a top plant-based restaurant chain in California. The stores feature a curated selection of offerings that are free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, formaldehydes, and more. In fact, there is an up-to-date list of banned ingredients—mineral oil, nanoparticles, phthalates, and sodium lauryl sulfate—which will never appear in any of the products retailed. While battling breast cancer, cofounder Valerie Gandury, a health and wellness coach, believed her best defense was in eliminating beauty products full of chemicals. She then teamed up with her friend Romain Gaillard with the idea of creating a line of freshly made skincare. Together, they launched Odacité skincare. However, they also discovered that their clients needed advice on makeup, haircare, and nailcare. As a result, they began testing brands and recommending them to clients. They then launched what they thought would be a one-hit wonder with a two-month pop-up shop to educate clients and influencers. Instead, they discovered a market hungry for pure products. “The Detox Market has been doubling in size every year for the past four years, which is amazing,” says cofounder and CEO Gaillard. “Our true mission is to convert each client into a fan of green beauty. We see our success when someone falls in love with the products we carry.” Here, he shares how the brand is bringing green beauty to the masses.
To what do you attribute The Detox Market’s success?
We were one of the first companies to promote green beauty products in a retail environment. Since we started in 2010, we have created close to a dozen pop-up stores with the idea of educating and creating a meaningful experience. Clients trust that we never compromise on efficiency and purity. We always stay true to our mission. Finally, our success has been made possible by our team. They are all passionate about green beauty, and they are genuinely interested in helping the world.
How do you choose the locations?
We listen to influencers and clients. We are looking for communities interested in what we do. Toronto came through naturopath doctor Bita Doagoo’s vision to bring The Detox Market to Canada. Santa Monica was an obvious choice, as I used to live a couple of blocks away, and Montana is one of my favorite streets.
Why is it so important to have a brick-and-mortar store?
I personally love to go to physical stores. Clients can come and experience the products, learn about green beauty, and attend events. We are really interested in having a physical experience for clients to interact with educators at the stores.
What have been the biggest challenges in expanding and growing the business?
Building the right team. We are picky when it comes to hiring. We are not only looking for passionate candidates but also people who are eager to educate and spend time with clients.
How do you attract new and repeat clients?
To attract new clients, we rely a lot on word of mouth. I believe our clients love the fact that
we are not pushy. We have events on a weekly basis and introduce new products all the time.
I think going to The Detox Market is actually a fun experience. It is very welcoming.
How do you use social media to boost business?
Social media is probably one of the main reasons green beauty was able to thrive. We rely highly
on Instagram to update our followers and promote events and new brands. One of the best things is that we are able to listen to clients to see what they are interested in.
How do you keep your staff motivated to sell?
We don’t have sales goals. True motivation needs to be genuine. It is about doing the right thing, not selling the most.
What plans do you have for the future?
We are working on creating more content and resources to help clients select products as well as introducing more fun events and a few new stores in the U.S. and Canada.